Attachment for stringed instruments



No. 627,4!0. Patented June 20, I899.

F. GRAUS. ATTACHMENT FOB STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

W/TNESSES Patented June 20, I899. F. GHAUS.

ATTACHMENT FOB STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 12396. (No Nodal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

l)? //v VENTOFr I" In A TTOHN E Y8.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK GRAUS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEXV JERSEY.

ATTACHMENT FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,410, dated June 20, 1899.

Application filed December 2, 1898. Serial No. 698,092. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK GRAUS, of Jer sey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Attachment for Stringed Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved attachment for stringed musical instruments-such as guitars, banjos, mandolins, or the like-the attachment being arranged to permit the performer by pressing a single key to hold a plurality of strings to the proper frets on the finger-board and conveniently pick the strings to sound a chord.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a reduced perspective view of the improvement as applied to a guitar. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the improvement. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 3 3 in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 isasectional side elevation of the same on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a face view of the keys.

The improved attachment for musical i-nstruments is arranged in a box A, provided on its under side with depending lugs B B, of which the lugs B carry at their inner sides felted curved holders 0, and similar holders 0 are arranged inside of the lugs B and are provided with pins 0 fitted to slide loosely in a transverse direction in said lugs B. In the latter screw thumb-screws D, the inner ends of which abut against the holders C, so as to move said holders firmly in con taotwith the side of the finger-board E of a guitar E or other like instrument, the other holder 0 engaging the finger-board at the opposite side. Thus by the' arrangement described the operator is enabled to securely attach the box A to the finger-board E to bring the under side of the box a suitable distance above the strings E of the instrument. (See Fig. 4.)

The bottom of the box A is formed with openings over which extend pressers F in the form of fiat springs, secured to crosspieces A, forming part of the bottom of the box, as will be readily understood by refer ence to Figs. 2 and 4. The pressers F are arranged in three sets, each having as many pressers as there are strings on the instrument. For instance, as shown there are six pressers in each set, and the pressers are arranged in alinement with the strings, so that there are three pressers over each of the strings of the instrument. The free ends of the pressers are provided on their under side with lugs F,of felt or other suitable material, for en gaging the corresponding strings a short distance above the fret E on the finger-board E, so that when a presser F is forced downward a lug F moves in engagement with the string and presses the same downward over the adjacent fret E The free ends of the pressers F are formed on top with recesses, (shown in Fig. 4,) said recesses being engaged by the free ends of pawls G, fulcrumed on bars H, having elongated slots'H, through which extend transverse rods 1, secured at their ends in bars I, attached to the ends of the box A. (See Fig. 3.) By this arrangement the bars H are arranged to slide in a longitudinal direction; but said bars are held normally in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 by the pawls G, pressed on by the springs forming the pressers F; but when a bar H is moved outwardly then the pawl carried thereby imparts a downward swinging motion to the corresponding presser F, so,,as to bring the lug F thereof in engagement with the string for the purpose previously explained. The several bars H are spaced by washers I on the rods 1, (see Fig. 5,) to permit an independent movement of the bars and the pawls carried thereby.

Each of the bars H is provided on top with one or more pins H and these pins are arranged in rows, each row being engaged by a lever J, fulcrumed in the sides of the box A and provided with a finger-piece K, the shank K of which extends through an elongated slot in the top or cover of the box A. (See Fig. 4.) As the bars H are normally held in the position shown in Fig. 4, the pins H thereof by pressing against the levers J hold the latter and the finger-pieces K normally in the position shown; but when the operator presses a finger-piece K a swinging motion given to the corresponding lever J, and this lever by being in engagement with a row of pinsI-F, imparts a longitudinal sliding motion to the bars for said pins, and consequently the pawls on said moved bars move the corresponding pressers F in engagement With the strings E and when the strings are now picked in the usual manner a desire-d chord is produced, the name of the chord being indicated on the pressed finger-piece K. (See 6.) As soon as the operator releases the finger-piece K then the pressers by their own resiliency return to their former positions and in doing so return the pawls G, the bars H, and the levers J, with their fingerpieces K, to their original positions.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the device is very simple in construction, is composed of comparatively few parts, and hence is not liable to get out of order.

As shown in the drawings, the range of the attachment comprises fifteen different chords-that almost all the chords used in the performance of ordinary musicsome of the chords being difficult to play, owing to the complicated fingering on the finger-board, if a device such as that herein shown and described is not used.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An attachment for stringed musical instruments, comprising a series of pressers each located over a string, a series of longitudinal sliding bars having connection with said pressers whereby the latter are forced into engagement with the strings when the bars are slid, the said bars having pins at predetermined intervals along their upper faces, and a series of transverse levers each provided with a finger-piece, and arranged for engagement with sundry pins on the bars whereby to slide the bars carrying such pins as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An attachment for stringed musical instruments, comprising pressers normally out of engagement with the strings, arranged above the same but in alinement therewith, longitudinally-slidable bars,pawls pivoted on said bars and engaging said pressers, to move the latter in contact with the strings and press the latter against the frets in sets to form a chord, and transverse levers having fingerpieces under the control of the operator, and connected with said bars, to impart a sliding motion thereto, substantially as shown and described.

An attachment for stringed musical instruments, comprising a box adapted to be fastened to the finger-board of a stringed instrument, pressers in the form of fiat springs arranged in rows above the strings of the instrument, each presser being arranged in alinement with a string, and one end thereof being fastened to the under side of the box, the free end carrying a lug normally out of contact with the string, bars mounted to slide longitudinally in said boX, pawls carried by the bars and engaging said springs, and trans verse levers fulcrumed in the box and having finger-pieces under the control of the operator, the levers engaging pins projecting from said bars, substantially s shown and described.

FRANK GRAUS. Witnesses:

THEo. G. Hos'rER, EVERARD BOLTON MARsHALL. 

